LEXINGTON, Ky.?In the final night of competition, the University of Kentucky women had to fend off Tennessee to take fourth place in the SEC standings for the third consecutive season. Kentucky concluded the meet with 384 points, Tennessee ended with 349.50.
The women set a new school record in their fifth place finish in the 400-freestyle relay to close the meet on a very high note. The quartet of Heather Bradford, Lauren Willis, Kristina Sledge and Jenny Bradford tapped in a time of 3:20.17.
?I thought both teams had a really good last day,? said Coach Gary Conelly. ?The women finished the way we wanted, and the men really put the hammer down and came really close to coming back.?
Freshman Megan Pulskamp led all freshmen in the Blue and White with her first ever top-10 finish at a conference championships, placing eighth in the 200-butterfly in a time of 2:03.54. Junior Kelly Rames also placed in the top-10 with a tenth place showing in the same event in a time of 2:03.90 to gain valuable points for the Wildcats to keep a safe lead over the Lady Volunteers.
?I was so excited to make it back to the finals as a freshman,? said Pulskamp. ?I was happy I helped contribute to the team and having the meet here at home really helped me I think.?
Junior Lindsay Myhre also notched a tenth place showing to aide the UK cause. Myhre clocked in a time of 2:17.79 in the 200-breaststroke, a new career-best time.
Jenny Bradford earned her third top-six finish of the Championships, as she placed sixth in the 100-freestyle in 49.71. Heather Bradford claimed her third top-15 finish, taking 15th place in the same event in a time of 50.69.
Rookie Chatham Penrod concluded a stellar meet taking 11th in the 200-backstroke touching the wall in 2:01.57, earning her seventh place in the all-time UK record books.
Sophomores Haleigh Kerns and Leah Harms added to the individual scorers for the Blue and White with 15th and 16th finishes in the 1650-freestyle, respectively. Kerns notched a clip of 16:58.85 while Harms touched in 17:00.88.
On the men?s side, Kentucky began the meet with three top-16 place finishers in the grueling mile-long race. Sophomore James Batley led the way with a 12th place showing, while senior Eric Weber took 13th and freshman Marco Iemmola earned 15th. Batley finished in 15:59.00, Weber in 16:03.07 and Iemmola in 16:11.00. The rookie earned a career-best time while earning his first ever points in a conference championships.
Sophomore Warren Grobbelaar concluded his second campaign with the Wildcats with his third top-10 finish after placing tenth in the 100-freestyle to lead three Wildcats in the top-16. Grobbelaar checked in a time of 44.45, the new sixth best mark in school history and a career-best time. Freshmen Alex Forbes and Eric McGinnis finished 15th and 16th respectively in times of 45.15 and 45.30.
Placing in 13th in the 200-backstroke was sophomore Shane Eliason with a time of 1:48.41. It was the second event in two days he placed in the top-16 for Kentucky.
Also scoring for UK were sophomore Joe Retrum and junior Grant Nelson in the 200-butterfly, as Retrum took 10th and Nelson seventh. Retrum tapped in a time of 1:49.71 and Nelson clocked in 1:48.19.
The final individual scorers for the home team were juniors Will Vietti and Kristian Outinen in the 200-breast. Vietti earned a fourth place showing with a time of 1:57.65, setting a new UK varsity record and personal best time. Vietti now holds both breaststroke records in Kentucky annals, after a second place finish in the 100-breast just last night. Outinen clocked in 2:00.27 good for a tenth place outing.
Kentucky concluded its conference meet with a fifth place finish in the 400-free relay. Grobbelaar took the leadoff leg, followed by Forbes, McGinnis and Eliason. The quartet tapped in a time of 2:57.08.
Tonight?s session concludes the 2007 SEC Championships.
Women – Team Scores
1 Auburn University AU 336
2 Kentucky, University of UK 231
3 Georgia, University of UGA 228.5
4 Florida, University of UF 209
5 Louisiana State University LSU 203.5
6 Tennessee, University of UT 183
7 Alabama, University of UA 101
8 South Carolina, University of USC 94
9 Arkansas, University of UARK 88
10 Vanderbilt University VANDY 46
Men – Team Scores
1 Auburn University AU 450.5
2 Florida, University of UF 311
3 Georgia, University of UGA 216.5
4 Alabama, University of UA 153.5
5 South Carolina, University of USC 138
6 Tennessee, University of UT 133
7 Louisiana State University LSU 126
8 Kentucky, University of UK 65.5
